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Siuslaw News
Siuslaw News
NEWS &
VIEWS THAT
DEFINE OUR
COMMUNITY
Providing ‘warmth & support’
to homeless students
VOL. 131, NO. 99
D EC . 11, 2021
F LORENCE , O REGON
Students at Mapleton
& Siuslaw schools take
part in century-old
tradition
WEATHER
Rain and wind
with a high of 51
and a low of 40.
Full forecast on A3
MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
COMMUNITY
Community members, organizations and businesses have banded together to collect resources for
area homeless students attending the Siuslaw School District. Clothing collection continues at
Florence in Bloom and Florence Habitat ReStore, through Wednesday, Dec. 15.
Community donates
to Siuslaw Special
Programs students
By Chantelle Meyer
Siuslaw News
Viewfinders capture
the season
INSIDE — A3
SPORTS
O
n Dec. 9, Florence Habi-
tat for Humanity hosted
a Youth Clothing Collection to
benefit Siuslaw School District
Special Programs and its pantry
for homeless students.
“Many caring individuals are
stepping up to help our homeless
students over the holidays,” said
Special Programs Director Lisa
Utz.
She thanked Florence Habitat
and resident Gary Cargill, presi-
dent of Rods ‘N’ Rhodies, Inc., and
owner of Florence In Bloom, for
the clothing drive.
The two-hour event was spon-
sored by Habitat, Florence in
Bloom, Siuslaw News, Siuslaw Val-
ley Fire and Rescue and the Rhody
Cruisers. Santa Claus also attend-
ed.
People were encouraged to do-
nate new clothing items for both
boys and girls 5 to 18 years old,
including sweatpants, leggings,
sweatshirts, socks, pajamas, under-
wear, jackets and warm blankets.
Cash donations were also accepted
for the program.
See SUPPORT page 8A
Coastal quakes cause concern
People encouraged to prepare for emergencies
By Mark Brennan
Siuslaw News
Winter sports get a
jump start
INSIDE — B
RECORDS
Obituaries &
emergency
response logs
Inside — A2
SIDE SHOW
Activities and
comics every
Saturday
Inside — B5
CLASSIFIEDS
Listings and public
notices
Inside — B6
Rhody Court
to be ‘Back
in Bloom’
There were an unusually high
number of earthquakes record-
ed off of the Oregon Coast this
week. The total number is now
more than 75 quakes of measur-
able magnitude since Monday,
with more expected during the
next few days.
According to the United States
Geological Survey, a majority of
these quakes have occurred ap-
proximately 200 miles west of
Newport, haven’t directly impact-
ed shoreline communities and
have, to this point, not caused any
damage on shore.
The chances of the recent spate
of off shore quakes initiating a
major event is minimal, accord-
ing to Dave Snider, the tsunami
warning coordinator for the U.S.
National Tsunami Warning Cen-
ter.
He said in a recent podcast the
earthquakes are far enough off-
shore that many won’t detect any-
thing on land.
“We’ve seen this before, and
there’s history in this region,”
Snider said. “It’s an active area
and not necessarily unusual.”
Snider also said there is no in-
formation pointing to a larger
event on the horizon at this time
and there are currently no tsuna-
mi warnings anticipated.
The quakes have taken place
along the lesser known Blanco
Transform Fault, with the larg-
est registered as a magnitude 5.8,
although the majority have regis-
tered much lower magnitudes.
See QUAKES page 6A
The Rhododendron Court took
a year hiatus in 2021 and is coming
“Back in Bloom” more boldly than
ever. On Thursday, Dec. 9, both Siu-
slaw and Mapleton high schools re-
ceived information and inspiration
about this year’s court opportunity.
Students in their senior year are en-
couraged to apply for their chance
to be a member of the Rhody Senior
Court and compete for the chance to
be Queen Rhododendra or King of
the Coast.
Applications are now open for
the 116th Senior and Junior Rhodo-
dendron Court. Deadline to apply
is Friday, Dec. 17. Senior Court ap-
plications are available digitally (bit.
ly/2022RhodyCourtApplication) or
via paper available at the Florence
Area Visitors Center and Chamber
of Commerce Office, 290 Highway
101. Junior Court paper applica-
tions are available at the Siuslaw and
Mapleton elementary school offices
and at the Florence Visitors Center.
See COURT page 6A
When moose were loose
around Tahkenitch & Siltcoos
A failed attempt to introduce moose to local lakes
Oregon State Game
Commission
Warden Art Fish
tended to the
Florence area’s
moose population
in the 1920s. He set
this moose’s rear
leg in a cast to re-
pair a break. While
there are some
moose in Oregon,
they are not native
to the state.
Drive by Tahkenitch
By Zac Burtt
Nothing more than a
Lake, via Highway 101,
Siuslaw News
daydream, right? Ev-
on a foggy fall morn-
eryone knows there’s
ing and one can almost
no moose in Oregon,
picture a moose knee deep in the let alone in this neck of the woods.
lake leisurely grazing on lilies.
See MOOSE page 7A
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COVID-19 booster doses authorized for 16- and 17-year-olds
S IUSLAW N EWS
2 S ECTIONS | 18 P AGES
C OPYRIGHT 2021
On Dec. 9, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) and
the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) authorized
the use of booster doses of Pfiz-
er-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccines
for persons 16 and 17 years of age
who have already completed their
vaccination series.
Shortly after the boosters were au-
thorized for the new age group, the
Western States Scientific Safety Re-
view Workgroup, including Oregon,
Washington, California and Neva-
da, released a statement supporting
the CDC’s recommendation.
The Oregon Health Authority
(OHA) released updated guidance
for providers so that Oregonians
aged 16 and 17 who have complet-
ed their initial Pfizer vaccination
series at least six months earlier
can immediately begin receiving a
booster dose.
“It’s great news that now even
more Oregonian adolescents are
eligible for booster shots,” said Or-
egon Gov. Kate Brown. “We know
the measures that are effective in
protecting against COVID-19 and
variants: vaccinations, boosters and
masks. These measures are key to
ending the pandemic and keeping
our friends and loved ones safe.”
Boosters were authorized last
month for all persons in the United
States 18 years and older by the two
federal agencies and by the work-
group for eligible adults in the four
Western states.
A booster is a vaccine dose giv-
en to a person whose immune re-
sponse from the primary vaccine
series has waned over time. Booster
doses help people maintain strong
immunity to disease longer. The
first vaccine series builds up the
immune system to make the anti-
bodies needed to fight the disease.
Over time, the immune response
weakens. A booster dose stimulates
the initial response and tends to re-
sult in higher antibody levels that
help people maintain their immu-
nity longer.
See BOOST page 8A
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